Ammonium-nitrate explosive



40 taining this eocrystallizedmixture, I add to Patented July 9, 1929; r

UNITED STATES PATENTOFFICE.

JOSEPH a. WYLER, OF .A LENTOWN, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO TROJAN POWDER COMPANY, on NEW YQRK, N. Y., A CORPORATION on NEW YORK.

AMMONIUM-NITRATE EXPLOSIVE.

No Drawing.

. This invention relates to ammonium nitrate and to ammonium nitrate explosives, and the principal object of the invention is to provide by novel means ammonium nitrate the sensitiveness to detonation of which is relatively hi h.

I have discovered that hexamethylenetetranrine when properly combined with ammonium nitrate has .the effect of materially in-, creasing the sensitiveness of this product toward detonation. For this purpose, I preferably use about 4% ofthe hexamethylenetetramine to 96% of ammonium nitrate, but I do not limit myself to these proportions, which may vary widely, upon the degree of sensitiveness desired and upon certain other controlling factors such as gas volume and brisance.

In practicing my invention, I have found it possible to combine the hexamethylenetetramine with the ammonium nitrate in variousways. I have found, for example, that a simple mixture of finely ground hexamethylenetetramine with dry crystals of ammonium nitrate will give the desired results, and as a specific example of this method of applying the sensitizing agent, I may take 96 parts of dry ammonium nitrate and mix therewith four parts of powdered or crystalline hexamethylenetetramine, the latter being thoroughly incorporated.

I may also cocrystallize the hexamethylenetetramine with the ammonium nitrate as follows: To 96. parts of ammonium nitrate add about 10 parts of water and 4 parts of hexamethylenetetramine. Heat this mixture in a steam-jacketed kettle with stirring until fine dry crystals are gotten. This is the sensitized product.

In another and preferred method for oh- 576 parts of crystalline ammonium nitrate, 77 parts of a 40% solution of formaldehyde, warming the solution in a steam-jacketed kettle with stirring until about one-half of the ammonium nitrate has dissolved. I then add about 40 parts of 28% ammonium hydroxide solution. In this case the reaction between the formaldehyde, the ammonium nitrate and the ammonium hydroxideyields hexamethylenetetramine which on evaporaproximately 4% Application filed March 23,1926. Serial 1Y0; 96,874.

tion crystallizes with the excess of ammonium nitrate to afford the cocryst'allized mixture of ammon um nltrate and hexamethylenetetramlne 1n the desired proportions.

Still other methods may be successfully employed in obtaining the required intimate mixture of ammonium nitrate and hexamethylenetetramine, and there is to be no limitation in this respect.

The following is an example of an exploiivetz employing my sensitized ammonium nira e:

- 2 Per cent.

Nitrostarch 10.00

depending Ammonium nitrate 76.00 Hexamethylenetetramine 4.00

Sodium nitrate 9.55

Zinc oxide .20 Hydrocarbon oil .25

- making the explosive, the sensitized ammomum nitrate may be prepared in accordance with the procedure described above. This explosive has good sensitiveness to detonation from a detonator or cap, but is relat vely insensitive to ordinary blows and frictive proportions of approximately 1 part of hexamethylenetetramine to 24 parts of the nitrate. I

6. An explosive comprising ammonium nitrate containing in cocrystallized form apof its own weight of hexamethylenetetramine.

7. As a new article of manufacture, ammonlum nitrate containing approximately 4% of its own weight of hexamethylenetetramine.

8. The method of sensitizing ammonium nitrate, which consists in mixing therewith hexamethylenetetramine. Y

9. The method of sensitizing ammonium 5 nitrate, which consists in cocrystallizing therewith hexamethylenetetramine.

10. The method of sensitizing ammonium nitrate, which consists in reacting ammonium nitrate with formaldehyde and ammonium hydroxide, and thereafter evaporating the solution to obtain a cocrystallized mass of ammonium nitrate and hexamethylenetetramine.

JOSEPH A. WYLER. 

